Live life, Cell phone challenge….

I was inspired by reading one of Jessica’s older posts where one day she actually turned her cell phone off for the day. This got me thinking how much of today’s society has relied on staying in touch with everyone in an instant. Lets say 10 years back, cell phone we only used by the elite class. The important people that walked around big cities or in there cars holding this huge looking white brick, the rest of us just walked around enjoying life. It was much simpler back then, no worries, just casual living. We got to go to places with out having to check in or have someone find us. If someone needed to talk to us, they simply waited till we got home to call us. It made for better conversation, to actually have something to talk about to someone, calls lasting about 1 to 2 hours. Now fast forward to today, everyone has cell phones, from the 80 year old grandparents down to the 6 year old elementary student.  Every one always seems to be in a rush. Look around one day, you see people walking and texting, people updating their Tweets or Facebook. Do we really need to use our cell phones so bad that we have to make Laws about texting while driving? Really, does anyone ever use their phone to talk to anyone any more? If so, how long are your conversations, do you really make time anymore to actually talk to someone on the phone or do we tell them to look at your Facebook for updates? We are so used to our phones that we are missing the world as it goes by, then we wonder where that time went.  I want to place a personal challenge to all, turn your phones off of one day, just one day. Really go out and enjoy this life that we have been given. To know how to live just for one day, to actually feel freedom, freedom from all that is tying us down to blog, tweet or update Facebook pages. Just to notice the things around you, birds, trees, season changes and kids playing. I challenge you, yes you, just for one day, and turn your cell phone off. Stop and smell the flowers instead of walking over them while texting. Your friends and followers will still be there tomorrow. 

I went on a Date!!

I went on a date with my wife, (you though wrong). My wife and I are trying to do things together to try to break up our same old routine. We really do not go out and do things or go to places by ourselves in a long while. With my wife and I schedules, our daughter school and church activities, our grandson that we baby-sit, all this takes a toll on our marriage. We do not want our marriage to get to where it was heading so my wife is trying to book all these different events for just the two of us. Our first was this play that we went to on Saturday. It was a low budget play but never the less it was a very good and cute play. It was called “Las Nuevas Tamaleras”. It was about these three young girls trying to make tamales for the first time with a little help from two season angel tamale makers. It was a cast of five actress and the props and acting would make anyone go see it again and again. As a matter-of-fact, they did 9 shows so far and each one has sold out. They tour Dallas, Austin, San Marcos and finally San Antonio. The majority of the audience has seen this one hour, one act play for a couple of years in a row. If you can understand Spanish, then I suggest you try to see this play next year when they tour again. I know we will.

Well after the play we went to down to the River Walk to have dinner and enjoy the lights. Also if you have never been to San Antonio during Christmas, it is defiantly worth the trip down here. So if all goes well, this is the first date of 6 for the month.

NOTE: I took some pictures but they did not come out so good so I downloaded some from the internet where we ate at. 

A trip for Stupid People….

Would you like to go to this Island? Well you can not! I am in the works with the Costa Rican Government to purchase this island for the soul purpose of sending all the stupid people that I have meet. Now I am not talking about the occasional “DUH” moments, I am talking about the true stupid ones you have the misfortune of dealing with every single day of your life. You know the ones; these are the people that miss all the obvious reasoning’s of knowing what is right and wrong. The ones that Sue the McDonald’s for making them fat or spilling hot coffee on themselves while they are driving and talking on the cell phones. The ones that fall into an open man-hole in the middle of the freaking sidewalk with caution tape and flags all over. Even the simple ones that when asked, “What day is it today?” They reply with the correct day by also adding the term “All day long”, and then 30 minutes later they ask you what day it is. The ones that try all day long to place a square peg into a round hole and complain that it is a design flaw, the ones that insist that the door will not open for you when you push and the sign say pull. These are the lucky folks that get to live on this island. With plush green foliage, tropical weather and shark infested waters. These are the lucky ones that get to go and let us regular people live in harmony.

How will I get them to go to this island? It’s simple, for one they are stupid and second, I will tell them there are dinosaurs on this island and if they go now they can have some cookies for the trip. So who wants cookies and see dinosaurs?

Don’t Mess with Texas Football…

Texans take there football very serious, from watching Pee-Wee Leagues all the way to traveling 500 miles to sit in a parking lot to be crown the best tailgate partier for their favorite team. Most women here base their shopping days on Sunday, Monday and Friday Nights. The girls go do their thing while they know the boys would be sitting in the same spot when they get back. I guess this was one of the reasons that my wife married me was I may don’t like to sit all day and watch football. I don’t own a football jersey or even a football to play in the yard with. I don’t jump up and down like a crazed maniac when ever a team makes a touchdown as if I personally had something to do with it. Anyway this post has nothing to do with me, I am writing about the true blue fans, the ones that have that crazy look in there eye when the team is 4^th and Goal with 15 seconds to go. Like my neighbors for example; these guys live two houses up from me. I don’t have to know when Dallas is playing; they show me by putting up this big inflatable Dallas Cowboy Blowup in the middle of their driveway. Like this one:

They open up the garage door, have a few friends and family members over to watch on the 60 LCD TV and couches that are set up in there. I don’t have to know the score of the game or see who the game is progressing; all I have to do is listen to them. If the Cowboys lose the game, all is quite and then you see that inflatable giant go flat and slowly get dragged indoors. If they win then all hell breaks loose. Well that does not sound like radical fans you may say. Let me give you another example by using my neighbors again. Apparently the Cowboys made two stupid mistakes that cost them the game, (if you’re a fan then you know which game I am talking about). Well this made my neighbors so upset that they all went over to the big balloon and started beating on it with bats and broom handles! One of them came out with a pistol and started shooting at it! After the police left it was quite for the next couple of games. Then what did I see this weekend, but a new blowup Cowboy, even bigger than the first.

 Well the Cowboys managed to win the game in overtime and they went nuts. They were dancing, shouting and throwing beer all over each other as if I was watching some pagan ritual right before my eyes. You would have thought that they had won the SuperBowl by their public display. I just hope next year, for the Cowboys sake, that they do make it to the SuperBowl just to make the neighborhood a better place for at least one more year.  

Tattoo’s, does any one think of the future?

I have seen a fast growing trend among the younger crowds (18-25 year olds). Tattoo parlors and shops are sprouting up like weeds out here where I live. I remember the only people that got tattoos were bikers, gang members and military people. Now driving past the high schools on my way home from work or at the mall shopping you can not help but notice a lot of people especially girls donning the tattoo. They sport it on the legs, arms, neck, and the famous tramp stamp.  I personally do not hate tattoo’s I think so of then are even pretty cool, my kids each have one. My daughter has one on her side torso, my son has one on his upper arm. When I asked my son what it symbolized, he told me that he felt that it represented freedom that he wanted to have. Me being the smart ass father that I am told him, yes it sure does represent freedom for you, freedom from paying bills, freedom from getting a job, freedom from any responsibility. He set out to prove me wrong, he got a job, paying his own credit cards, paying for his own car and going to college. Yep, he sure proved me wrong, (giggling). My daughter after getting one was real proud of it. To her, it showed her individuality, her rebellious nature, her attitude of, “I am going to do what I want to do”. I asked her, “Have you though of the future?” I asked her if she had really though about it, it will be marked on her body for life, even in old age. He reply is the same as anyone you would ask. Yes I will love it for life. Well fast forward for her three years later. She is completely embarrassed when she was in labor with her first child. She now wishes she never got the thing. To this day not many people knows she has one. Other examples for girls wishing they never got one; my niece 23, messed up her chances to be a beauty contestant, my other niece 27 places a large band-aid covering her leg tattoo when she wears dresses to work. My nephews; 24, 26 and 29 are all working in manual labor jobs because of their “Sleeve Tattoos”. The list goes on and on, I have 12 examples just in my family alone, this coming from their mouths not mine. So remember young people, before going into that Parlor with money in hand getting ready to pick out that tattoo you saw on TV or a person you saw on the street. Remember this is for life; you will have it just as if it was your arm, leg or head. You have to look into the future not just the here and now but the beyond. I hope you make a wise choice because right now you may look like this all pretty and sexy but after you will look like this.                      

                                    

        

Walking in my shoes...

Well I am babysitting my 18 month old grandson today and I really started to realize that

he is mimicking everything that I do. He is a very smart kid for his age. Everything that I do 

he wants to share the work with me, it may be from sweeping the house to feeding the dogs. 

He wants to do everything just like his grandfather. So it really keeps me on my toes every time 

I am around him, I am careful with the words that I say and all my actions. He is basically 

like a little "mini-me", we share the same interest in cars, music, movies and even foods. 

The majority of the time he chooses to go with me than his own mother or grandmother. 

I have never been though of as a role model to anyone but looking at him, I am going to try 

my best to teach him all that is right and wrong so he will not grow up like me, he will be better.  

Positive Week Day 2: Story with Picture

Day Two, i want to introduce you to my little love of my life, my baby-girl. 

Her name is Victoria for those who have read a couple of my post know who she is.

This little four year old has inspired me and has kept me on the straight and

narrow for so long. She has been my little anchor to keep me grounded exactly

where I need to be. When ever I start to feel lonely or unloved, she is the one

I look to, knowing that she carries my picture with her everywhere in her

"My Little Pony" purse. She is the one that makes me want to be a better person,

a father that I really never was to my own children, my second chance. 

She is my heart and my inspiration in everything that I do and everything 

that I plan. I love my little baby-girl. 

Positivity Week Day 1: A Book That Had A Positive Affect On You

Well I have agreed to take on this challenge as well. I was simply getting tired of writing about all the bad 

stuff happing in my life so after looking though all the books that I have read and trying to pick just one,

I kept coming back to the same one each time. The book that I chose may surprise alot of you.

The book I feel that had the most positive effect on me is the Bible. Yes you saw right, the Bible. 

This book has a collection of all kinds of stories that were inspired by GOD. There are love stories,

stories about War, friendships gained and lost. Stories of hope, dispare and faith. I have been reading

my Bible for some time now (three years)and have come to know these stories and the hidden meaning in

them to put in place in everyday life. It has help me become a better person overall, It has taught me values

I have left behind as a child. it helped me get a better understanding of people and help guide me into helping them.

I am trying to live right in GOD's eyes, trying to please him and follow in his footsteps, but like a child who is still 

trying to learn to walk, I have fallen many times. I will keep getting up and continue to walk the right path and

continue to read my Bible because each time I read there is something new in ever chapter. It is true what pastors

say, you can never really finish reading the Bible because it give new meaning and positive understanding each time

you open it up. Hopefully this will make me a better person, neighbor, friend, father and husband. I can think of 

no other book that can give me a better effect as this. 

Day one...done. 

Social Friendships…

I was looking at my Facebook and saw that my “Friends” list just grew to 42 waiting for approval. Why in the hell do I have 42 requests? These are the ones that are saying that they knew me and we hung out, well I am sorry, if I knew we were friends from school or work why it took 10 to 20 years to find me. I have not considered you as a friend because I did not find the time or desire to look for you. I will give you an example of what I mean; one of my requests is my daughter’s cousin. Why in the world do I want to see or know who you are “messing with” this week or the next party that your going to. All I am finding out is that you are planning to get drunk and drive all the way to San Antonio (86 miles) to pick up my daughter so she can party with them. By the grace of God if you do not kill any one or yourself just to get here what makes her think I am going to let my daughter into the car with them? Another friend of friends has like over 1200 people on there list. I am beginning to wonder if we are all on some kind of popularity contest, to see who has the most friends, follower or viewers. Having a higher number count, does it make us feel better about ourselves, gives us this sense of being wanted and needed? Does it keep us at home in front of the computer instead of going out and actually meeting real people? I have always though of a friend as being some one who is there for you. Someone you can call at any time of the day, to laugh with, to vent to, and to use their shoulder to cry on. A friend that will be there to catch you when you fall and be there to help pick you up, a friend is someone who will steer you clear of danger and call you on stupid stuff that you do. I don’t know call me old fashion if you will but looks like all these see these days are people calling them selves your friends but condoning all kinds of things. They see something that is not right and they shut their mouths about it and looking the other way. We are calling them our friends? I have told someone this I and I still find it true for myself; I would rather loose a friend to save them than to save a friendship and have them lost. I think all of the social sites should have two sections; one for friends and the other acquaintances, but again it’s just me thinking too much. I am going to go clean up my Social network accounts now.

Playing with Poop, yes again....

OK, i got doused with splatters of black liquidized substance that i don't even want to mention yesterday. I embarrassed myself by the stench of a battle between myself and sewer pipes when i entered the Home Depot to return the damn snake and paying $50.00.  Now i got a call from my daughter that I have to go rent it again because the water from her shower is running out of the toilet into the rest of the house again. Are you freaking kidding me???!!!! I tested-ed it, I ran the snake the entire 75 feet that lead into the main sewer line three times. I even took a long shower last night. Well turns out that the three women that lives in my home are actually descendants from Sasquatch. Hairy beast that thought to be a myth. Well they actually live here, they shave all the hair from their bodies to blend into this community. Thinking they have hidden their traces of their existence down into the drain. Well I have discovered their secrets. I will retrieve the evidence and turn it over to the FBI for their permanent removal from my home. This way my pipes can flow free again and I can finally clean my tennis shoes so i can tackle the grass tomorrow. 

Playing with Poop... Yes Poop!!!

Right Now I miss the apartment life so much. Life was much easier then, you never have to worry about cutting the grass, fixing leaking faucets or fallen closed door hinges. All you have to do is call the maintenance man and "bamb"! he comes over and fixes everything. I used to in good with all he maintenance people in the various apartments that I have lived in. I would invite them to stay over for awhile for a bite to eat or offer a glass of ice tea while they are working on my broken stuff. It did not matter how dirty they were or how smelly they happened to be. I was in good with them because the times when I would come home in the wee hours of the morning drunk and stupid, well I needed them to open my apartment because I lost my key somewhere. "No charge", then I would offer them a beer or food for waking them up so late. So as a side note take care of these guys because you will never know when you need them. OK, back to the story, I missed the carefree life that apartments had to offer. A swimming pool, covered parking, a gym, bar-b-que areas, anything that you may need you can get. Well I bought a house now, no one told me that buying a house come with fixing leaking roofs, out dated wiring that is no longer up to code, water heaters that needs to be replaced and the famous AC unit failure. Some times I want to go back to the Realtor that sold me the house and punch him in the face for not telling me that I will not have a maintenance man any longer. That major items in the home are very expensive to fix and replace, not to mention the greedy little bastards up the street wants 35 dollars to mow only the front yard.Yes they tell me, but owning a home is an investment, a satisfaction of have a place to call your very own, to be able to add or change anything in the house that you wish to do. Yea but they do not tell you that the investment is only after 20 years, satisfaction of owning all the problems in the house, and adding or changing anything? Well that is because everything breaks down and you have to add or change stuff out. So now my new venture is pluming problems. Turns out that I have not only one busted pipe but three sections that are broken, two of which are under the house, (under a cement slab). So I have to rent a 75 foot "snake" about every three to four months to clear out the lines because of some genius designed the house that is almost level to the freaking sewer pipes. So ever so often I get to play with poop! I do not have a regular clean out vent, no that would have been a smart thing to do, instead I have to rent a small cable snake to go though the kitchen clean out. Either that or climb up on the roof with the larger one and go down the vent but that take two people to do and I can not pay my son any amount of money to help me after the last experience that he had helping me. So I save and dish out 48 dollars every couple of months and go play with the poop. Then go out later to replace the shirt, shorts  and socks that are fully decorated in black speckled pattern, practically hose myself down before I am even allowed inside to take a shower. Do I get any thanks for being covered in all their contributions that made me so fashionable? No I get dirty looks, sneers and all kinds of remarks. So while I am cleaning the only pair of tennis shoes that I own, I told them wait till I am gone then who will do it? There response is, "We are going to pay someone to do it when your gone, with your money!" I am going to go look for that old Realtor and have a little talk with him, then I am going to punch him. 

In a hurry...

Everyone is tell me to get off here so we can go pick up something to eat... Then when i am ready, they need to put on makeup, shoes and get other things they need?????

My food craving is getting bad....

I am sitting here at work with out a car since my daughter needed it. Well my stomach is growling since i have now way of going to get lunch and I did not plan accordingly. My cravings start to go wild, what do I want to eat, I am getting hunger pains just thinking of food. then it hits me; Barbacoa,with a can of Big Red. Yea a favorite of mine and a favorite of South Texas. Everyone here in San Antonio just loves this, and for those people who have never heard of it, let me enlighten you: http://www.sacultura.com/Barbacoa_and_Big_Red_South_Texas_craving.html
Just a warning that this is not for the faint of heart, It is the meat of a cooked cows head. You need to try it before judging it. Movie stars and famous singers that have visited this fine state of ours have tried it and even wrote songs about it. I think I will grab some barbacoa tacos and a big red when my ride gets here at quitting time. Can not wait till then.

My wife is the greatest..

My wife is something else, she puts up with all my antics every now and then. Of course we have our issues sometimes but who does not. We have been married long enough to know what each other is thinking just by a look. Our kids hate it because they do not know what were talking about with our secrete marriage stares. Well my latest issue is growing older. I just passed my 43 year mark and feeling really old, my body is breaking down my doctor is prescribing me meds like they are going out of style. Heartburn, high blood pressure, cholesterol diets and even medamucil tablets. Thats where I draw the line. No more for this old man, I need something that will make me really feel better, not a pharmacy in a bag but something really worth while. A sports car!! Thats right, a true american muscle car with it body lines, big gas-guzzling motors and enough horsepower noise to wake the dead. Well the problem is that my wife does not life older cars, in fact if its older than the year 2000 its considered old in her eyes and not worth having. Well this is a major problem with me because I have been eying a 1980 Trans Am like the one I had in my younger days. I am talking about a true American icon, black beast with a screaming Phoenix on the hood, a 6.5 liter V8 under it with a matching 400 turbo transmission, posi-traction rear end all pumping out 568 horses. OOOOHHHH the POWER!!!! To be alive again just my and my wife with the t-tops off cruising down interstate 37 to the coast. Oh what a feeling but wait, my wife does like older cars, she just does not get it. So I am in a dilemma, a fork in the road if you will . Do I still get this car knowing she may never ride in it or give up this little dream of the month that I have. Well my wife, got to love her told me to get ready and take a little trip with her to my sisters house. Well were are off, once we get there behold what do I see but a 2002 Trans Am sitting in the driveway. The deal about this car was it has been modified and the owner is scared to drive it because of it awesome power. Taking over payment would be a little rough, living life just that more difficult but my wife is allowing me to get this car. It is still in negotiations right now but either way if I get it or not i love my wife just a little bit more because of it.
Love you Babe.

Sick as a dog...

I have been feeling very sick today, if it were not me being a man I would have said your pregnant. Science have not come that far just yet, I am chalking this down to my new glasses. I found out that i have become blind as a bat, the glasses that were prescribed actually have three focal points in them. Top is for distance, middle is for everything and the lower are bifocals. I have been wearing my glasses for about three weeks now and still have not got used to them. I take them off to get a break and all of the sudden everything in the world is blurry. Have my glasses made me see worse than before? I tell you I have gone almost two years without them why is it that now i can not see at all without them.  I think there is a conspiracy between the optometrist and the insurance company. I have to do some digging on that subject first before making actualization. Anyways, I  barely reach my front door at home, went straight for the bed to lay down. It took over 30 minutes for the room to stop spinning. A hour later the doorbell rings, UPS delivery, I reach the door and thank him. That was all it took, I placed the package down and ran as fast as i could to the restroom to relieve myself from everything i ate in the last week. I will spare you the details of the contents of substance that drained from my mouth. Needless to say I layed back down in hopes that it would go away. Well I was in slumber for the next 6 hours. This morning I feel a little better, still a little dizzy here and there but nothing that a good cup of coffee will fix. I will see you later.

Introductions:

Well my name is Richard, I am a 43 year old Father of two (Tony 21, Elisa 23) and a grandfather of one (Peanut 14 month). I am just here taking one day at a time. I want to share my life with you but this is mainly for my family and friends. I am not a professional writer nor do I pretend to be. I am just jotting down a few thoughts, idea and stories that I would like to share. I hope you enjoy and would appreciate any feed back.